1 . A study from the University of Montreal and the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, published in Frontiers in Medicine, found that regular virtual visits to museums could help seniors stay mentally active and come with a host of additional health benefits. That’s because these digital connections can make retirees feel less lonely and isolated (孤立的).
Social isolation has been associated with the risks for heart disease and the decline of recognition abilities in seniors and the pandemic (疫情) increased the risks due to the need for seniors to stay home and isolate, according to a press release from the university.
The researchers investigated the potential benefits of weekly virtual visits for a three-month period. The participants were people aged 65 and older who lived in Montreal. Half of the participants took part in online visits and a discussion afterwards, while the control group did not participate in any cultural events at all. The group who participated in the virtual visits showed improvements in their quality of life. “Our study showed that art-based activities may be an effective intervention,” lead author Dr. Olivier Beauchet, a professor at the University of Montreal, said in the press release. “On a global scale, this participatory art-based activity could become a model that could be offered in museums and arts institutions worldwide to promote active and healthy aging.”
The initiative reflects approaches recommended by the World Health Organization to manage certain diseases, according to Beauchet. For instance, the WHO launched the Aging and Health Program in 2015 that included using community-based organizations to promote culture as a key component of improving health. Traditionally, these sorts of preventive health activities have taken place in schools, community centers, and workplaces. “While these are suitable locations that reach a great number of people, there are additional organizations and sectors that could become partners in public health research and practice development,” Beauchet said. “Museums are among such potential partners. They are aware of the needs of their communities and are consequently expanding the types of activities they offer.”
1. How do seniors benefit from regular virtual visits to museums?| A．They get survival skills. | B．They raise interest in art. |
| C．They improve quality of life. | D．They connect more with family. |
| A．Participants come from the whole world. | B．The museum needs better cultural events. |
| C．Face-to-face discussion is a useful intervention. | D．Seniors should attend more art-based activities. |
| A．To advocate. | B．To entertain. | C．To advertise. | D．To warn. |
| A．The Aged Form a Community to Reduce Loneliness |
| B．Virtual Art-based Activities Bring People Together |
| C．Online Museum Trips Improve Seniors’ Well being |
| D．Retired Individuals Pay More Visits to Museums |
| A．To express excitement. | B．To cut price. | C．To cancel a holiday. |
Mrs. Miller was our next-door neighbor. Her husband died two years ago. She had no children and no relatives that we knew of. She was gentle and kind, and my sister Laurel and I considered her our special friend.
One December, Mrs. Miller was ill in hospital. Laurel and I were busy making Christmas presents, and we wondered what to make for Mrs. Miller. We couldn’t bear seeing her come home before Christmas to an empty house with no holiday decorations. Then we lit upon the idea of decorating a small tree that would greet her with lights and cheer. We were wondering how to carry out our plan when the answer appeared.
I was in Miss Johnson’s sixth grade class that year, and we decorated a small tree with paper-link chains and ornaments (装饰物) we’d made in art class. It was beautiful. Best of all, it had to be removed from the classroom before Christmas vacation.
Miss Johnson said there would be a drawing (抽签) for the tree. We’d each write our name on a piece of paper and put it in the box she had prepared. On the last day of school before vacation, she’d draw a name from the box, and that student could take the tree home.
Great! That was exactly what I was longing for! So I wrote my name “Helen Wheeler” neatly on a piece of paper and folded it carefully. As I put it into the box, I whispered to Miss Johnson that I really hoped I’d win the tree because my sister and I wanted to give it to our neighbor who was sick and lonely. Though there were 30 children in the class and each might win the tree, I was somehow certain that I would get it because our cause was good: We wanted to make Mrs. Miller happy.
The day before vacation finally arrived. Laurel and I usually walked to and from school, but that day I persuaded Mom to pick us up in her car after school in case I really got the tree.
注意：1.续写词数应为150左右；
2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Paragraph 1:
Before school was over, Miss Johnson announced it was time for the drawing.
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Paragraph 2:
The next evening we welcomed Mrs. Miller back at her door.
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4 . From the age of eight, I had to contribute my share of labor along with my father. Our family was too poor to
One day, while resting beside the field, I
Although now I went into academic research, I would always
| A．support | B．afford | C．consume | D．handle |
| A．heating | B．setting | C．burning | D．rising |
| A．protection | B．preference | C．possession | D．priority |
| A．complained of | B．worried about | C．believed in | D．puzzled over |
| A．high-paying | B．back-breaking | C．heart-breaking | D．risk-taking |
| A．access | B．addiction | C．reaction | D．contribution |
| A．Think | B．Thinking | C．To think | D．Having thought |
| A．career | B．schedule | C．concern | D．interest |
| A．insisted | B．protested | C．warned | D．predicted |
| A．that | B．which | C．when | D．where |
| A．quicken | B．lighten | C．participate | D．shoulder |
| A．pulled | B．pushed | C．burdened | D．dragged |
| A．immediately | B．definitely | C．rarely | D．eventually |
| A．doubt | B．treasure | C．adopt | D．reject |
| A．displayed | B．rewarded | C．challenged | D．relieved |
5 . When was the last time you listened to someone? And when was the last time someone really listened to you? I asked people what it meant to be a good listener. The typical response was a blank stare. People had no trouble, however, telling me what it meant to be a bad listener.
Of course, technology plays a role. Social media helps filter out (滤掉) opposing views. People find phone calls disturbing and ignore voice mail, preferring text or wordless emoji. But tech is not the only blame. High schools and colleges rarely, if ever, offer classes or activities that teach careful listening. Traffic noise on city streets and music playing in shops exceed (超过) the volume of normal conversation by as much as 30 decibels (分贝), and can even cause hearing loss.
So how can we recover the lost art of listening? After years of studying and consulting, I discovered that listening goes beyond simply hearing what people say. It also involves paying attention to how they say it and what they do while they are saying it, in what context, and how what they say resonates (与……共鸣) within you. It’s not about merely holding your peace while someone are talking. Quite the opposite. A lot of listening has to do with how you respond — the degree to which you assist in the clear expression of the other person’s thoughts and in the process, express your own.
Good listeners ask good questions. Good questions don’t begin with “Wouldn’t you agree...?” or “Don’t you think…?” and they definitely don’t end with “right?” The idea is to explore the other person’s point of view, not sway it. It is not right to put your own thought into others’ head. You also want to avoid asking people personal and evaluating questions. Instead, ask about people’s interests so that they feel more connected than if they spend time together finishing a task.
The reward of good listening will almost certainly be more interesting conversations. Attentive listeners receive more information, related details from the speakers, even when the listeners didn’t ask any questions. We are, each of us, the sum of what we attend to in life. And to listen poorly, selectively or not at all limits your understanding of the world and prevents you from becoming the best you can be.
1. Which of the following is right according to the passage?| A．People now prefer text messages to phone calls. |
| B．Listening skills are widely taught at school. |
| C．The noise around us is the main reason for bad listening. |
| D．Technology improves people’s listening art. |
| A．Listening requires the listener to keep in total silence. |
| B．Listening combines hearing, understanding and responding. |
| C．Listening isn’t just hearing but also predicting questions. |
| D．Listening is to put your thoughts into other person’s mouth. |
| A．Prove. | B．Stop. | C．Influence. | D．Complain. |
| A．Good listeners should express themselves bravely. |
| B．Good listeners always receive reward from the speakers. |
| C．Good listening develops people’s interest in private life. |
| D．Good listening promotes our understanding of the world. |
6 . If you’re a fan of fast fashion, your choices may be narrowing in the near future.
At the end of 2020, fast-fashion giant H&M said it would close 350 stores worldwide. Recently, Spanish fashion giant Inditex announced that it would close all its Bershka, Pull & Bear and Stradivarius stores in China. It all indicates that fast fashion is slowing down, noted the website Fast Company.
A major reason is the shift in the mindset (心态) of consumers. Millennials, those who were born in the 1980s or 1990s, are now the largest consumer group. Unlike their predecessors (前人), millennials are more financially stable, and thus low-priced fast fashion is not their priority. According to The South China Morning Post, more people are starting to care about quality and the stories behind a product.
Another factor is the growing concern over the fashion industry’s effect on the environment. As The New York Times noted, the fashion industry is one of the largest polluters of clean water and three-fifths of clothes produced in a year end up in landfills (垃圾场). As there is more awareness of the climate crisis, younger people are pursuing more eco-friendly choices.
Molly, 22, is one of them. Before she went to college, she used to go frequently to fast-fashion shops like Forever 21 and H&M. But after taking a class that focused on the environmental impact of clothing production, her preference changed. Now, she tries to shop in a way that is both sustainable (可持续的) and affordable: She shops second-hand. “My friend showed me how easy it was to be thrifty (节约的), and I developed a new personal style that focused less on trends but on basics that don’t go out of style,” she told MTV News.
In order to survive in the competitive market, many fast-fashion brands are making changes as well. For example, Inditex said that the company plans for all of its clothes to be sustainable by 2025.
“Sustainability is a never-ending task in which everyone here is involved,” said Pablo Isla, CEO of Inditex.
1. Why is fast fashion unpopular among millennials?| A．Millennials attach more importance to quality. | B．Millennials follow former generations’ style. |
| C．Millennials like brands with a long history. | D．Millennials prefer cheaper clothes. |
| A．Climate change should be blamed on the fashion industry. |
| B．More people prefer eco-friendly fashion products. |
| C．Unsold clothes are a threat to the environment |
| D．Low-quality fashion products don’t last long. |
| A．how the fast-fashion industry is suffering a big loss. |
| B．how competition is becoming more fierce in the fashion industry. |
| C．how a major company can change their products to fit the market. |
| D．how sustainability has become the top priority for most fashion brands. |
| A．Hopeless. | B．Promising. | C．Unclear. | D．Unpredictable. |
My daughter and I pushed the overloaded cart in the store. She reached up and took another toy, and without asking, threw it in the cart. “Is that for you?” I asked.
“No, it is for my friend,” she answered. I was proud of her. Being an only child and an only grandchild, she could have been spoiled (宠坏), but instead she was caring and very giving, almost more than necessary.
On the drive home, my daughter was unusually quiet. Finally, she said, “Mommy, if Santa brings all the gifts, why are we buying them?” I quickly tried to think of an answer. Before I could say anything, she shouted, “I know why. We’re Santa’s helpers!” Yes, she took the words right out of my mouth. Yes, that’s exactly what we are.
After a few days, she came home from school quite upset, explaining, “Mommy, there’s a girl in my class who’s very mean (吝啬) to me and my friends. She is Lucy. We talk to her anyway, and when we asked her what she was getting for Christmas, she started crying. She said she wasn’t getting anything because her mother is always sick and her father doesn’t have the money to pay for anything, not even food.”
I calmed her down, knowing what she was thinking about.
One evening before Christmas vacation, my daughter began to wrap (包装) the gifts for her friends. I gave her a roll of wrapping paper, but she came back and asked for more. I thought it was strange, but I was busy then, only telling her to get whatever she needed.
On the last day of school, I had to leave for work extra early, so I asked my friend to pick up my daughter since she had quite a few gifts to take for the class Christmas party. I never actually saw what my daughter took to school.
On Christmas Eve, I went to wrap gifts, but all of them were missing. I looked high and low and couldn’t find them.
注意：
1. 续写词数应为150左右;
2. 开头已给出。
Finally, I woke my daughter.
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Early Christmas morning, a mother and a daughter came to our house.
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8 . When I was a boy, I knew nothing about the nation’s popular sport—baseball. During P.E., I used to pray (祈祷), “Please, please don’t let the ball come to me.” It seemed
And yet I
I had
I
“Yes, we’ve got something good for you,” he said. So Hudson Cliffs was launched.
After several years of play, Will aged out of Hudson Cliffs.
| A．normal | B．impossible | C．natural | D．cheerful |
| A．happened | B．decided | C．wished | D．refused |
| A．pass | B．kick | C．catch | D．throw |
| A．injuries | B．misses | C．debates | D．hits |
| A．launch | B．lead | C．win | D．make |
| A．limited | B．wide | C．specific | D．advanced |
| A．love | B．health | C．confidence | D．wealth |
| A．targeted | B．awarded | C．protected | D．tracked |
| A．calmer | B．younger | C．braver | D．stronger |
| A．praised | B．dropped | C．tested | D．shared |
| A．looking down | B．lighting up | C．closed | D．narrowed |
| A．rule | B．plan | C．payment | D．request |
| A．Finally | B．Actually | C．Particularly | D．Gradually |
| A．pleasing | B．despairing | C．exciting | D．frightening |
| A．Strangely | B．Immediately | C．Amazingly | D．Simply |
9 . Music is known to have a great deal of mental and physical benefits on humans. From helping to treat physical medical problems to relieving stress, music can be extremely beneficial in helping to improve health.
Animals may have a great deal of stress.
Music can be extremely beneficial for animals in high stress situations.
| A．It can create a space for them. |
| B．The same goes for our furry friends, too. |
| C．They could be stressed for a variety of reasons. |
| D．It would be a beneficial practice for all parties. |
| E．Another place where music can be helpful is in car rides. |
| F．There are ways that you can identify stress in your animals. |
| G．It’s no wonder loud noises can cause dogs and cats so much stress. |
10 . It was a quiet early afternoon in the library, and we librarians were enjoying a chat at the library desk. Suddenly, a regular reader, who had been reading a magazine, marched up to us, gave us an annoyed “Shush (嘘)!” and went back to her seat.
Shocked into silence, we tried not to laugh. How strange for a group of librarians to be shushed by a reader! Shouldn’t it be the other way around?
Well, it seems hard to explain. If you’re a baby boomer (婴儿潮出生的人) like me, you probably remember libraries as places of adults’ silent reading. These days, however, libraries are more like busy community centers, where being noisy to some degree is the new normal, especially when kids are taking part.
I am a loud librarian. My voice is naturally on the louder side. The hundreds of programs I led as a children’s librarian were filled with singing, dancing, movement exercises and cheerful readings of books with crowds of children and their caregivers. No shushing allowed!
Growing knowledge about the importance of kids and teens learning through hands-on experiences has since caused a sea change in how public libraries connect with young readers. These types of programs like board games, poetry reading and story times certainly aren’t designed to be silent.
But it’s a balancing act. Not all readers—or librarians—like the idea of a noisy library. It’s clear to me now that on the day my colleagues and I were shushed by a reader, we should have been using our “library voices” as we talked. Still, it’s unlikely that libraries will ever return to the days when they were places of silence. There’s just too much fun and learning happening. I heartily agree with my friend Rachel Payne, an early-childhood service educator at the Brooklyn Public Library, who told me, “When I visit a library and it is quiet, I always feel a bit sad. A library where conversations are happening and tables are full is a very good thing!”
1. How did the author think of the shush from a reader?| A．Unexpectedly funny. | B．Really annoying. | C．Quite necessary. | D．Very heartwarming. |
| A．They serve kids only. | B．They become quieter. |
| C．They are less popular. | D．They have different functions. |
| A．To show different voices. | B．To express the author’s idea. |
| C．To make the end interesting. | D．To promote a new reading method. |
| A．How to Act in the Library | B．It’s OK for a Library to Be Noisy |
| C．Why to Keep Silent in the Library | D．It’s Necessary for Librarians to Change |
